Rolling Metal Thread 2014

Another year, another NAILS album? pretty please.

Well, rocky, they put out two things last year, right? Didn't they do an EP as well, or was that the end of 2012.. I'm sure they'll have another thing put out soon, if they are on that type of output

I can't believe those dudes are from Ventura County. I mean, no wonder they're so pissed, but...

lol!!

Sean: I was just being hopeful.

barranca jagger (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ): are you in the 805?

Just stumbled across Knuckle Duster, the second album by Asomvel, which came out back in October. It lives up to its name—pure 200mph punk-meets-NWOBHM-meets-bar fight soundtrack. On Spotify.

Guys we only have 11 ballots in for ~~~ ILM METAL POLL 2013 - ALBUMS & TRACKS VOTING & CAMPAIGN THREAD~~~ (VOTING ENDS FRIDAY JANUARY 10th 11.59pm UK time/6.59pm EST) )

VOTING CLOSES THIS FRIDAY
Can you please all vote if you can. It would be much appreciated.

Yeah, vote!

According to my stats calculations from metal-archives data, the top 10 reviewed metal albums of 2013 are:

1. Stratovarius · Nemesis
2. Satan · Life Sentence
3. Atlantean Kodex · The White Goddess
4. Darkthrone · The Underground Resistance
5. Voivod · Target Earth
6. In Solitude · Sister
7. The Ocean · Pelagial
8. Carcass · Surgical Steel
9. Ghost · Infestissumam
10. Cultes des Ghoules · Henbane

http://www.furia.com/em/releases-year.html

by my count full 1/2 of the bands on that list are at least 20 years old, correct? (Voivod, Darkthrone, Carcass, Satan, Stratovarius)

you saying metal archive users are old farts who hate modern bands?

I dunno, 11-20 includes Bölzer, Hatriot and Sulphur Aeon, who are all pretty new. And Black Sabbath. Seems like an OK variety. Established bands attract more reviewers, of course. And remember that in this case I'm imposing the ranking with math, the reviewers aren't ranking anything, so don't over-attribute motive to the results...

hehehe hat riot

Kim finally started her own zine.

http://necrolustzine.com/

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Yeah, I've been trying to check it out most of the day and keep getting that same error.

Is that most reviewed or best reviewed, Glenn

necrolustzine.com works for me.

Best reviewed. Follow the link and you can see both the scores and the counts...

YES! Now 2014 may begin...

Slough Feg launch title track and pre-orders for “Digital Resistance”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTgTrhzUCo

http://www.metalblade.com/us/covers/SloughFeg-DigitalResistance.jpg

Slough Feg have launched the title track from their brand new album, “Digital Resistance.” The record was recorded with Justin Weis (who produced the album with vocalist/guitarist Mike Scalzi) at Trakworx in South San Francisco from January-October 2013 andmarks the band’s first new studio album since 2010′s “The Animal Spirits.” When asked if the new album was a concept album, singer and vocalist Mike Scalzi explained that “Digital Resistance“is a concept album in the sense that The Beatles Sgt. Pepper is a concept album. “It has somewhat of a consistent lyrical theme that runs through several of the songs, but not every song— it is not a concept album in the sense that our “Traveller” album is.” Listen now and pre-order your copy at metalblade.com/sloughfeg.

Mike Scalzi elaborates on the concept behind the title track: “This song represents a last ditch effort to escape the inevitable. There will be no victory over technology– nor should there be in a broader sense— but I do fear what we are becoming. Biological evolution moves so slowly that we cannot perceive it. But social and moral evolution may come in great jolts or leaps. This can be dangerous to the preservation the species, biologically and morally/socially. But it’s also just fun to sing about ‘killing technology’ (like that other band from Canada did a long time ago). It’s a very dramatic subject. That’s why I call it “Voi-Vaudeville”.”

Scalzi discusses the cover art: “The artwork for this album was, as usual, a bit of a struggle. I had no idea how to represent an album called “Digital Resistance”. We finally decided that we wanted the background of Kiss’s “destroyer” album (a city in ruins), but instead of a rendering of our band in the forefront, I wanted the space-dog (Vargr) from “Traveller.” But we’d already used him, so I thought about wolves. I thought maybe a symbol (involving a wolf) representing the birth of a civilization might be appropriate. And that’s what we did—- we put Romulus and Remus, the two mythological children who founded Rome, and were raised by a wolf, in front of this destroyed civilization. What does it have to do with “Digital Resistance”? Modern primitivism? An atavistic civilization? Nothing whatsoever? Well, I suppose only time will tell.”
So what does Mike hope the listener will walk away with after listening to “Digital Resistance“? “Hopefully just enjoyment, entertainment. Perhaps a little bit of a lesson about the dangers of technology’s tendency to sort of dumb us down when things become so easy. The more we indulge in technology and allow it to do everything for us, especially allowing it to think for us (as in the case of looking everything up on your phone or computer rather than trying to remember and retain information), the more physically and mentally “flabby” we become. So there is somewhat of an urgent message, or complaint about this increasingly human tendency.”

Digital Resistance is set for release in North America on February 18, 2014 and will see SLOUGH FEG on the road with a few West Coast shows scheduled in March with the guys’ “sister band” Bible of the Devil, from Chicago. The band is hoping to do a short tour of Europe in May/June, and then hopefully to Chicago in July to do the “Ale Horn of Power” Festival.

Slough Feg is:
Mike Scalzi – Guitars/Vocals
Angelo Tringali – Guitars
Adrian Maestas – Bass
Harry Cantwell – Drums

Digital Resistance track listing:
1. Analogue Avengers / Bertrand Russell’s Sex Den
2. Digital Resistance
3. Habeas Corpsus
4. Magic Hooligan
5. Ghastly Appendage
6. Laser Enforcer
7. The Price Is Nice
8. Curriculum Vitae
9. The Luddite
10. Warriors Dusk

Great news!

It's a mighty fine album. Better than the last one, I think.

if you click on the order in uk button it takes you to amazon and no sign of the album.

As I just said on Twitter, metal must be doing way better than I think if Metal Blade is willing to sign Slough Feg and Relapse is willing to sign Ringworm. Slough Feg's last album hasn't even sold 1000 copies yet, and Ringworm's last one has sold a little under 1600 copies.

I wonder how the Slough Feg reissues did for them last year.

Well in Slough Feg's case its time a good metal band was given a chance. An alternative to Avenged Sevenfold and Attila is needed!

Slough Feg are terrible. You want a trad metal band that deserves to be huge? Grand Magus is that band.

I hate to be that guy but I think Grand Magus were much better earlier in their career.

What, when they were doomier? Nah. Hammer of the North and The Hunt are definite peaks for me; the new one hasn't 100% won me over yet, but it's still really solid. It's just kind of all-of-a-piece and doesn't have any real standout tracks that I've noticed so far.

The new Grand Magus needed some time to grow on me last month, but I'm really into it now. Not as hooky and Rainbowy as The Hunt, but very, very solid front to back. They can do no wrong, I've been into that band for a long time now.

Long-time lurker... Anyone else thinking the Aevangelist album got kind of lost in the year-end shuffle? It seems to beat Gnaw Their Tongues in the found sound/classical samples/weird chaotic noises game. But brutal as f--- too, in a Streetcleaner kind of way, with accomplished musicianship and actual riffs.

I think the big thing for a lot of critics is that it technically came out in 2012.

I just got emailed a promo on that - it's being reissued on vinyl. Gonna check it out this week.

It's from 2012? Had no idea. I only started seeing reviews of it recently. Anyway, it's pretty rad. Need it on vinyl.

I'm talking about the "Omen Ex Simulacra" album btw. Are you sure it's 2012? Everything I'm seeing says November 2013.

Ah, I was talking about their debut, De Masticatione Mortuorum in Tumulis.

Phil -- have you ever seen Slough Feg live? I don't listen to any of their albums. But every time I see them, they blow the roof off. It's a superlative performance. But I won't argue on the studio output.

Early contender for album of the year:

Dad Metal

hai kvlt ppl you probably saw this already but a friend posted it on facebook so i thought i'd share in case you hadn't
http://www.cvltnation.com/world-burns-bolt-thrower-live-1993-now-showing/

23 HOURS LEFT TO VOTE
~~~ ILM METAL POLL 2013 - ALBUMS & TRACKS VOTING & CAMPAIGN THREAD~~~ (VOTING ENDS FRIDAY JANUARY 10th 11.59pm UK time/6.59pm EST) )

I'm really enjoying this Aevangelist album, now that I'm finally getting around to listening to it. In the subgenre I think of as "monster music", like Mitochondrion and Ulcerate. More waves of noise and groaning than anything rhythmic.

turns out I'm going to MDF this year, I am pretty fuckin amped about it

my body has been too fucked up for the last 6 months or so for me to commit to getting in the pit but I may actually ask a doctor to give me clearance to go in just once

Kinda got to bring the doctor with you and make him block for you.

I don't know a bunch of those MDF bands, but I ran the list through my playlist generator and made an Rdio list with a song from each one that was available: http://rd.io/x/QUPlBzMoOuY/

~~~ 2014 ILM METAL POLL TRACKS & ALBUMS COUNTDOWN! ~~~ (Tracks top 30 first then Albums)

I just got my last mailorder of 2013 in yesterday's mail! Finally just now getting Avenger's Bohemian Dark Metal, which is kinda ridiculous given how much I loved Feast of Anger, Joy of Despair. Also two on Dark Descent, big favorite label recently: the Fulmination double CD and the Craven Idol one.

― combination hair (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Wednesday, January 1, 2014 8:33 AM

yeah, this is pretty epic, good strangled vox

eagerly anticipating: new Gridlink album Longhena next month! the first track sounds great and seems to me to edge a little closer to the more melodic Hayaino Daisuki stuff:

Gridlink - "Ketsui"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33ZprczVr_k

unfortunately also sounds like this album will be Gridlink/Jon Chang's last; statement via facebook:

In a few weeks you guys will lay your hands on the last GridLink record and probably the last record I will ever make. It wasn't always going to be that way, but during the recording I realized that this was the end of the line for me. I don't think I will make a better record and I don't want to be in a band with anyone other than Takafumi Matsubara, who was cashing out his chips as well. This is a hard genre to play in. I've loved the style since I first heard it in the late 80's, via Napalm Death, however I have been notoriously critical of the genre and really only ever liked a handful of bands that play "grind"(I have gone so far as to say 99% of bands that call themselves grindcore are just playing short death metal songs). It's earned me a lot of scorn over the years but I haven't lost any sleep over it

I think about how lucky I have been to work with such talented people over the past 20+ years creating music in a genre that few can understand or engage with. I'm especially lucky to have met and worked with people like Rob Marton and Takafumi Matsubara, people who were not content to play in that space, but were committed to carving out a whole new sub-genre that was distinctly their own. Then there's the percussion team of Witte and Fajardo, both guys who were the absolute best at what they did, eclipsing not only their peers but those that inspired them to something more. And then there's the bass, which I grudgingly agreed to but turned out pretty damn good LOL

To this day, I am still surprised anyone listens to or vaguely understands any of the music I've been a part of. So once again, I find myself saying goodbye. I'm going to be focusing on writing new graphic novels, making video games and films, etc. Feel free to tag along.

Yeah the Gridlink is pretty damn good, and OTM with the Hayaino Daisuki nod - it's like a merger of those two projects. Also, it's pretty prog by Gridlink's standards, at a bit over 20 minutes run time!

Not to mention the instrumental that sounds like Starless-era King Crimson to me. (No, I'm not joking.)

oh man, excited for this! hope chang gets bored watching anime during his free time and grinds again. I've def come to view his involvement in a project as a serious mark of quality.

Phil -- have you ever seen Slough Feg live? I don't listen to any of their albums. But every time I see them, they blow the roof off. It's a superlative performance. But I won't argue on the studio output.

I'll argue. Start with last year's nicely priced reissue set of Twilight Of The Idols (1999), Down Among The Dead Men (2000) and Traveller (2003). I don't see how anyone who likes that type of music could say those albums are terrible.

This one is pretty brilliant. The Simpsons featured Judas Priest in the last episode but erroneously had a character call the band "death metal." Apparently the ire of thousands of raised, angry fists reached the show's creators who issued an apology of sorts with Bart's ubiquitous introductory chalk board mea culpa:

http://metalinjection.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Simpsons-Judas-Priest-is-not-death-metal.jpg

I got bored with the Simpsons but should definitely watch that episode.

Don't forget everyone to join us on the rollout. Some really great albums so far on 101-83.

~~~ 2014 ILM METAL POLL TRACKS & ALBUMS COUNTDOWN! ~~~ (Tracks top 30 first then Albums)

Deck the hells
Tralalala lalalala

Renounce Christ
And worship Satan
Tralala la la lalala laaaa

just sent my metal friend a link to the High Spirits album. he loves it but he almost didn't even listen to it bc of how bad the cover is.

that cover is so terrible.

I love that cover except for the font on the band's name.

For an album that sounds so much like Coney Hatch, that cover isn't quite ludicrous enough to resemble a Coney Hatch record.

holy shit that album RULES. listening now for the 1st time - thanks so much for this, static!

cover is terrible tho, hate to break it to u :(

xp Still wondering what the hell a Coney Hatch is.

Free demo by Devil Ancestry has been in rotation lately:

http://abysmalsounds.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-seat-of-evil-ecstasy

If you like low-slung, bass-heavy Beherit style pharmaco-satanic blackened death... well, there it is.

Fully expecting to find out it's another Stargazer side project btw.

xp Still wondering what the hell a Coney Hatch is.

http://cdn.discogs.com/ZLrF_YQD4DJx4OtMm7EIDnoGmqU=/fit-in/585x590/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-1513789-1225284633.jpeg.jpg

also:

http://cdn.discogs.com/LN3ky-bfAiLd5ksutwcMKqx5--Q=/fit-in/597x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-1812059-1244984587.jpeg.jpg

Oh yeah I know the band; just that name, man.

they're named after an insane asylum

the metal thread in 2014 has referenced Coney Hatch

I am frankly giddy about this.

xp That seems totally obvious... now.

Oh yeah I know the band; just that name, man.

lol, no, i was being dumb. i've always figured that the band name must be a slangy way of saying mouth ("coney" being a regional hot dog). this seemed to be supported by the album covers, so i posted 'em.

but no...

Ah! Well, when faced with a name like "Coney Hatch" the mind reels...

Revisiting the classic 1982 debut now. Has that edgy Max Webster meets UFO feel, but with that little early-'80s Canadian weirdness to it.

^ me too, so good ("stand up"!)

which has me now listening to the stupid grate Sea Hags LP

the earlier High Spirits stuff is fantastic, think I missed this new one coming out tho

listened to the new Goat Semen album yesterday and it fully kills, so I'm looking forward to spending however long in 2015 cheerleading for a band called Goat Semen

New thread!

Rolling Metal Thread 2015